GOL and Smiles are once again innovating and bringing a new concept to loyalty programs in the Brazilian airline market. Using a gamification model, the program will distribute benefits and rewards throughout the customer's journey – and not just when the customer reaches a new category – something unprecedented in the sector. With a simpler, more flexible and transparent proposal, the novelty aims to bring the group's customers closer and recognize even more those who choose to travel and earn miles with the program and the airline.
“We created a gamification model that will unlock new intermediate benefits between categories as the traveler concentrates his flights with GOL and becomes loyal with Smiles. In this way, the customer will receive rewards even before reaching a higher category, something that does not exist in the market. We are going to bring more advantages to those who fly with us and, consequently, more engagement with the program and the airline”, comments Estela Brandão, CDO (Chief Data Officer) at Smiles and CLO (Chief Loyalty Officer) at GOL.
Among the rewards offered, depending on each category, are bonus miles, air discount coupons, extra access to the GOL Smiles lounge, cabin upgrades on international flights with GOL, cancellation fees and free rebooking. In addition, Smiles will also offer es for customers to enjoy the benefits of a category above their own for one day.
For example, in the Silver Category, upon reaching 10 qualifying segments or 10 miles, you are entitled to the Gold experience, which includes a discount on the GOL seat + comfort, access to the VIP room and 2 free bags. In the Gold Category, when reaching 21 segments or 21 thousand miles, the customer will win a to experience the Diamond category, with these and other services.
Another novelty is that engers who always choose to buy their airline tickets with GOL will be even more rewarded. Within the Diamond category there will be maximum recognition with exclusive benefits such as Concierge, which can assist the customer throughout their travel journey, in addition, this customer will have more cabin upgrades, free cancellations, rescheduling and changing flights and even will be able to gift a person with the Gold category, etc.
“The program change is yet another milestone of GOL and Smiles' synergy of how we are working together to further improve our customer's experience. We added much more value to the traveler's journey by bringing more benefits, we simplified the program to make it easier to understand and we are also valuing even more those who choose and prioritize traveling with us”, says Carla Fonseca, CEO of Smiles and Vice President of Customer Experience, GOL's Marketing and Sales.
More simplified rules
Smiles is also simplifying the category qualification rules within the loyalty program so that they are easier to understand. In this new model, the platform enables more miles per category.
The rule for distributing miles is divided into two types of miles: qualifying miles and redeemable miles. Now, redeemable miles work like this: for every R$1 spent, 1 mile will be credited in the Smiles category, which gradually increases according to each category, being 2 miles for Silver Category customers, 3 miles for Gold Category customers and 4 miles for Diamond Category customer. In relation to qualifying miles, there is no graduation – for every 1 real spent, 1 mile is granted.
“We have simplified the redeemable mileage credit model for national and international flights in a way that makes it easier for the customer to understand the conversion”, explains Estela Brandão.
Requalification and category upgrades will be even simpler and with fewer miles and segments required to move up a category. To reach the Silver Category, it will be necessary to collect 6 qualifying miles or 6 segments; for the Gold Category it will be 12 thousand miles or 12 segments; and for the Diamond Category, 24 thousand miles or 24 segments.
Within this context, Smiles will also launch Rota Favorita, a service that will offer frequent customers in the Silver, Gold and Diamond categories the possibility of ing the routes that fly the most with GOL and, thus, collect even more redeemable miles. Silver Category travelers can 1 favorite route and earn 2,5 miles for every 1 real spent on a GOL ticket. engers in the Gold Category will be entitled to two favorite routes, accumulating 4 miles per real spent on GOL tickets. Finally, Diamond Category customers collect 6 miles per real spent on up to three ed routes.
It is worth noting that redeemable miles can be used to redeem airline tickets, book hotels, purchase products at Shopping Smiles or other services on the program's website. Smiles is a partner of more than 60 airlines that travel to 1.600 destinations around the world. It also has partners for fuel supply, car rental, transfer, tours, shows, retail products, petshop, health, among others.
According to the regulation, the changes will take effect 90 days after the communication that will be sent to customers and will be available in November 2023.
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Street: Smiles
